Steam generator



W` S. BOWEN.

STEAM GENERATOR.

APPLICATION HLED FEs.16,192o.

Patented Miiy 9, 1922.

2 SHEETS-sum1.

WILLIAM: armena Bowan, .or Yeux, n'. Y.

mais 'cinnamon Specincation of Letters Patent. Patented May 9', 1922;

sppnuamalea February 1e, me. semi ne. 359,080.

To all'wlwmz't concern.' Y

Be it known t at I, WILLIAM ,SPENCER BOWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county Lof New York and State of New York, .have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My inventionwrelates to a steam generator.

According 'to the ordinary methods for generating steam, the water to be vaporized is separated from the fuel by the interposed .boiler plates forming the shell., fire-box, ilues and tubes. These usual methods or systems attempt to avoid high temperatures forms between the'boiler Vplates and theA water so that the tem erature of the plates ceases to be controlle by the boiling point of water. At high temperatures the plates of the fire-box?, an

marily that of radiation and radiant energy may assume the tem erature of the Vhot gases soon pass beyond the limits allowed for ex ansion with the result that buckling and nally melting of the plates ensues.

According to my invention, high temperatures are desired and temperatures in ex'- cess .of the 'melting point of iron are. employed. These high temperatures are used because the method of heat transfer-is privaries as the fourth power of the absolute temperature. Therefore from the stand point of efficiency it is important to maintain high temperatures.

.The accompanying drawings illustrate a device which embodies the principal features of my invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a steam nerator constructed in. accordance with t e principles of this invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a section on the line A--A of Fig. 3 is a section on the line B-B of Fi 1.

ig. 4 is a partial vertical section of a modified form of my device.

Fig. 5 is a section through one of the spark screens in Fig. 4, Fig. 6 is a side view showingthe latinum points and insulator of one of t e spark screens.

The numeral 3 designates the casing or jacket of the steam generator which is sion.

formed internally with the spirally arranged passage .14`, starting with Athe water inlet 2 and ending at the opposite endof the generator` inthe restricted steam orifices 10. z Ajste'am outlet pipe 1 communicates with the interior of the jacket3, one end 4of said pipe being shown in the drawing. The ot er end of the jacket is formed with an opening for receiving a threaded bushing 12, which is also provided with a. central opening for receiving the threadedend of' the airv pipe 7. To the latter pipe 7 is connected a fuel pipe 9 through which fuel is admitted to form with the air a suitable combustible mixture for burning within the generator.

The pipe 7 is preferably made of some in fusible material such porcelain, quartz, or

'an infusible earth. The inner end of the -pipe 7 opens into an infusible tube 71 which extends through the greater portion of the length of the jacket. The inner tube 71 has lugs 6 projecting therefrom to support the tube against the walls of an outer tube 711 and aiiord a sliding fit to allow for expan- The porcelain tubes 71 and 711 are shown as integral at the base portion 11, the outer tube being provided with-a series of holes near the .base portion so that the fuel mixture after traversing the inner tube and returning through the space between the two tubes, may have access to the spark plug 8 adapted to function to initiate the burning of the fuel mixture.

The base of the porcelain tubes is held in the water jacket by the bushing 12 and the top is supported by the porcelain cap 13. rlhe cap 13 has a solid body overlying the lopen ends of the tubes 71 711 from which; eritend lugs 15 that embrace the circumference ofthe outer tube but are in spaced relation so as to permit the passage of all gases and at the same time furnish bearing surfaces on the tube 711 and the interior ofj the outer j acket.

When lighted by the spark plug the fuel mixture burns witha steady flame in the annular space between the first and second infusible tubes. These tubes become incandescent and radiate heat to the water jacket walls 3.

The water j acket 3 is preferably made of' be employed'to take the pressure. rOutside the water jacket an asbestos envelope 4 is l I provided to prevent loss oflheat due -to the radiation of conducted heat. 0 A

Gras'or fuel oil is admitted at 9 and air at 7. In-'case a carbureted mixture under pressure is usedone of the pipes 7 or 9 may be omitted, as is well understood. The water jacket 3 is heated primarily by radiationV of the jacket through the restricted oriiices 10, the reduction in pressure in passing through these orifices causing the water to flash -into steam. In its passage through the outer annular space tothe outlet pipe (l) the steam is superheated. `Practically no heat is transmitted by the water jacket due to the asbestos insulation.

It will be understood that the outlet pipe may contain a valve for controlling the passage of the steam and gases to an engine, or the like, and also that the water and fuel mixture may be automatically or manually controlled but these features do not enter into vmy invention and consequently have not been. shown or described.

vIn Fig. 4 is shown a modified form of my invention in which the superheated steam and products of combustion are passed through'a VseriesV of spark screens. In this case the water jacket 3 is preferably formed with va straight passage and is prolonged beyond the tubes 71, 711 the outer Ytube bein Jformed with a delecting end 16, and with supporting lugs 17. Insulators 18 are inv serted through the jacket at intervals and theseinsulators contain the conductors 19 that terminate in platinum points 20. These conductors are arranged in a periodically interrupted electric circuit containing an induction coil (not shown) so that sparks will pass through the gap formed between the platinum points. The steam and gases after passing the last spark screen escape through the outlet pipe 21.' The jacket is shown protected by the surrounding heat insulating material 22. Some of the water particles in flashing into steam under the high temperature that exists in the interior" of the gener-l ator are broken up into the elements hydrogen and oxygen; the hydrogen remaining in its nascent state until it reaches the spark screens. The carbon of the hydrocarbon fuel will combine with the oxygen of the vair or decomposed steam and the nascent and incandescent hydrogen will combine with the free and incandescent nitrogen to form ammonia (NH3) The use of the electric spark modiication of this invention is to augment this latter action. After using the gases and steam expansively in the engine the ammonia maj7 be recovered 1n al number Ofways, as by solution in water.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as`follows:-

l. A device for developing energy comprising a water jacket, formed at one end with restricted orifices, insulating material su'rroundingsaid jacketinfusible burner tubes adapted to be heated to high temperatures located withinthe jacket, whereby the water in passing through the jacket is heated above the temperature of vaporization at the'pressure prevailing'on the interior of said jacket and ashes into steam on passing through said orices.

2. A device forl developing energy comprising a casing provided with a water jacket, heat insulating material surrounding said jacket, infusible burner tubes located within the jacket, said casing having apertures therein forming communication between the water jacket and the spacebetween said tubes and casing, means for supplying a combustible mixture under pressure to said tubes, and a spark plug secured to the casing for initiating the burning of saidmixture, whereby said tubes are heated to incandescence and the water passing through said apertures is converted into steam by the heat radiated within the jacket.

3. A device for developing energy comprising a casing provided with a water jacket, heat insulating material surrounding said casing, infusible inner and outer burner g tubes located within the casing, said casing having apertures affording communication between the water jacket and the space l tween said 'tubes and casing, a bushing secured to the casing for supporting one end of said tubes, means for supplying a combustible mixture to the inner tube, and a cap supporting the other end of the outer tube within the jacket and adapted to move relatively to said` jacketto allow for the' heat expansion of said tubes.

4:. A device for developing energy comprising a waterjacket having a restricted exit opening formed in one end thereof,A heat insulating material surrounding said jacket, burner tubes supported centrally within said casing having outlet openings in proximity to said orifices, means for supplying a combustible mixture under pressure tov said tubes Jfor heating the same to a high tempera-ture and an outlet pipe for the steam and products of combustion at the end of said jacket opposite from the orifices whereby the steam is superheated in its passage through the interior of the jacket.

5. A device for generating energy comprising a water jacket and a heater cendiation and absorption, said jacket having atomized by air under pressure to said casing .in spac heater, insulating material inserted through said jacket and electrical conductors passing through said insulation for formin spark gaps, in the ath of the steam an products of combustion tocause theI combination of hot nascent hydrogen and the nitrogen of the atomizing air. 7. A device for generating energy oo rising a water jacket' formed in a casing, burner tubes located within the jacket in spaced relation to the side walls thereof, means for conducting fuel atomized by air under pressure to said tubes for igniting and burning therein and'heating the tubes to a high temperature, said water jacket communicating with the hot interior of the casing through restricted a rtures formed therein, whereby some of te water is decomposed on entering the casing so as to free nascent hydrogen, and means `in said casing for promoting the combination of said nascent hydrogen and the nitrogen of the atomizing air.

8. A device for generating energy comprising a casin a heater located in said relation to the sidewalls thereof,means for conducting a combustible fuel land air mixture to said heater, means for introducing waterv into the highly heated interior of the casing whereby said water is converted into steam, and means` in said casing for .subjecting the roducts of com'- bustion and steam to electric 'discharges and in conjunction therewith to the influence of radiant heat from said heater.

9. A device for developing energy com- Y prising a c asin rovided with a water jacket, heat insu atm material surroundlng said jacket, infusible inner and outer burner tubes 'within the jacket,'said outer tube being of greater length than the inner tube, a bushing secured to the casing for supporting one end of said tubes, said casing having apertures at one end for affording com-i a5 mun-ication between the jacket and the space between the outer tube and the casing, means for supplying a combustible mixture to the inner tube, a cap supporting the other end of the outer tube adapted to form a closure therefor and direct `the conbustible mixture into the space between said tubes lugs formed on said inner tube and adap to have sliding contact with said outer tube and spaced lugs formed on said cap adapted to have sliding contact on the interior wall of said casing, and a steam outlet passage at the end of the casing opposite from said apertures whereby the steam and the roducts of combustion resulting from the urning of the combustible mixture may pass through the space between the outer tube and casin be subjected to the -heat from the ncan escent tubes and escape through said outlet. v V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand-in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SPENCER BOWEN. Witnesses :v

Manne V; WALSH, R.' W. Lrcxmr. 

